


Foundlings: The Remix

by AquaMom



Category: Young Justice
Genre: AU, Crossposting from another site, Gen, More characters to be added, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-20 18:53:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 14,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17627747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AquaMom/pseuds/AquaMom
Summary: What if the sidekicks were raised by other mentors? How would that change things? How would dynamics work out? Will it be for the best? Or the worst?





	1. Abandoned Cargo

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this ages ago when YJ season one was still fresh and new in my mind. So, I figure I'll continue and finish it here. Some of the chapters are going to be Very Short, and I'm sorry about that but they're more or less loose drabbles with an arc almost. Even though I do have this posted on another website, this version is going to be edited and have some story-changes to it. Mostly because I've had time to review and change it up a bit.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy this What if Au of the sidekicks getting raised by different mentors.

He'd never been to the surface before but his _Mater_   had promised him that this was something she had always wanted to show him. It had been hard at first and bright. Too _loud_. He'd never heard the ocean like this before.  His Mater had kissed him on top his head and smiled at him, telling him to explore and play along the shoreline.

Smiling brightly, he now hunts for clam shells along the shore until the sun began to set and thus looks around for his Mater.

Only, he can't find her.

He looks and looks, up and down the shoreline for her but is hesitant to return to the ocean. He doesn't remember how they even came to be here.

So, he finally decides to wait for her. Surely, she'll be back.

Right?

That thought alone keeps the young boy from bursting out in tears. Dipping his pale head, he waits.

* * *

Clark had utterly no intention of being on this side of the coast. In fact, he had been pinned with it by his editor and couldn't worm his way out. Especially with such low activities in crime at the moment, there's hardly anything for 'Superman' to do that was news worthy.

So, a report on the seasonal habits of very low interesting animal- seriously, who would want to read about seagulls?- has him there walking along the mostly empty beach away from the usual crowds. Actually, now that he thinks of it, he doesn't mind it so much.

It's almost  _refreshing_.

At least, until he sees a small boy hesitantly moving back and forth from the shore to the water's edge in time with the tides. Clark smiles a little but then frowns trying to see where the child's parents were.

Having not found them, he moves closer thinking maybe he should talk to him when the child dives under the water.

At first, he isn't concern but then when the child didn't surface after a few minutes, Clark panics. He kicks off his shoes and glasses before running into the water, diving when it's deep enough. He could hold his breath for an extremely long time- that he knew. So, it shouldn't be hard to find the child.

Seeing the child float in front him- not even a yard off- Clark sped up his pace reaching for him. God, how did this child get so deep in this water so fast?

In either case, he grabs a hold of him-secretly relieved that the squirming told him that the child was alive somehow- swimming as slow- yet quickly somehow- as he can to the surface breaking the crest and wades to the shoreline.

"Are you alright?" He blinks the water droplets away with his blue eyes focusing on very light colored eyes.

Light colored eyes that held fright, _webbed_  hands that clung tightly to the wet shirt and  _gills_  that flared as if underwater still.

Clark has no way of knowing that this was one of the most important meetings he'll ever have in his lifetime.


	2. The Sucker

 

He had been happy.  That's what he remembers most about it.  His family were driving to another city to go see some old friends of his mom's. He hadn't given it much thought, at the time, about how lucky he was or how everything seemed so.. perfect.  At least, until it happened.  

He remembers it in snapshots- disconnected to the actual sequence of events.  He remembers his father swearing.   His mother is reaching back to him telling him to buckle up again.  The smell of gasoline singe his nostrils.  His mother's body is slouched over in an awkward way near his father's mangled head.  He hurts, but he knows the smell was getting worse.  He needs to get out of the car.

There's no one there as he falls out onto the cold pavement. The sun and clouds were his only witness to him crawling away from the car as an inevitable fire erupted from the engine.  He can only croak out a strained sound but the car is soon enveloped in flames.

 

They are gone.

And he's alone.

* * *

 

Barry and Iris are too nice.

Their voices are too soft. 

The silence when he enters a room now is too loud and too profound that he feels like he's choking on grief and pity. He hates this. He hates them for it - but he loves them too.  He loved them so much for taking him in after what had happened and then putting so much energy into him and making sure he's ok but it's making them suffer.  He can see it.  He can see the late nights that his Aunt stays up far past the time she should be in bed not because of some story- no, that would've been far more easier to deal with. It's because of him and his nightmares of fire, the stench of burning flesh and gas still keeps him up at night- and her along with him. 

He sees that Barry gets barely any sleep too. He's always looking for some clues as to what happened - " No one knows, Iris!  They just suddenly hit something and died.  Someone has to know something and I need to find out who."- it's taking a toll.

The only way to remedy this was to get rid of the obvious problem.

Wally West collected his things and junk food into a backpack.  He swallowed his fear and doubts before he crept out of the window and vanished into the night.

The then ten year old didn't know what he's going to do, but he figured he'd be less of a burden to his aunt and uncle if he did this.

* * *

How Oliver Queen stumbles upon this ragamuffin of a kid was a pure accident. Really, the kid was rather interesting. At first he stole his wallet, then tried to play it off as if he found it without the money inside.

What was interesting in this was that Oliver hadn't _felt_  a thing when it was taken.

At firs,t he passed it off as some good luck or something. After all he had more important things to do then to notice some brown haired kid stealing a  _few_   - ok, a few  _hundred_ bucks but that's not the point here!

The point was that the kid, Willy, Waldo, whatever his name was at the time, was a  _complete_  and  _total_  chick magnet for him. Oliver found that out when he runs into the eleven year old again, only this time the kid seemed to have more of a plan.

He acted like he knew him, for one. Which caused a lot of unwanted attention- _for godsakes, kid, it was just an ice cream cone!_ \- he pandered to the kid's needs for the entire day, ending up with at least three phone numbers and a lot of appreciative looks from the ladies.

It was more effective than having a puppy.

By the end of the day, though, Oliver found an even stranger thing happened: He  _cannot_  turn around and leave this kid. There was something too smart about him, too sad and..

Well, it wouldn't hurt to take on a ward now is it? After all, Wayne had two, so how much trouble can it be to take care of a kid like this?

Sometimes, Oliver wished Dinah had been there that day. Because this kid- Wally- was full of trouble. The good kind of trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided (different than my other version) to change Wally's background because I wasn't happy with the first one and this feels a little better to me.


	3. From Above

 

 

 

M'gann had been so excited to see earth, that she took off in a shot to see the marvels of this strange blue world that she had often seen on a screen or rather on the rare times she ventured up to the surface. She wanted to know if the tv was right, if it's sunny and warm or cold and windy. If the white stuff she saw on the ground-snow- looked as fun as it did in the black and white show.

She felt bad, though, because her Uncle had told her to stay within the area while he went to investigate something in town. But the beach was near and she wanted to feel what sand was like between her toes.

She hadn't meant to wander off. Really. She just.. _really_  wanted to see what the world was like before her uncle took her back to Mars.

The sky had grown dark and rumbled with the promise of a violent storm.

Fascinated, the young martian girl flew up into the sky, flying among the clouds curiously. Her eyes widen as lighting arc through the clouds themselves. Threading in and out like the otters she's seen on tv once.

So entranced by this, she fails to notice the other arc of lightning flash behind her and straight towards her, electrocuting the naive martian so badly that she lost all concentration and her true form had been revealed for a brief moment before fading back to green and falling from the sky.

She plummets down to the earth again and into the now violently crashing waves that she had admired not too long ago.

Down and down she sank into the deep darkness of the salty water, barely conscious of anything with only a meager signal she could send, _'Help.'_

Yet as she closes her eyes, darkness clouding her vision, she wonders if she'll ever see the sky again.

* * *

His name above ground had been Arthur Curry, but here underneath the sea, he was known as Prince Orin. A young and adventurous teenager that only wanted to have fun. He was nothing like his brother Orm. Orm spent all his time reading and what not- such boring things. His brother wanted to be crown, that was fine with him.

Either way, he found himself watching the waves above moving violently again. He only started doing this ever since someone fell off board one of those ships those land-dwellers used and went to save them. Lately he's been really good at it.

So he waits, just under the currents in case someone needed help. Many times, it was nothing, but this time, his eyes widen as a green girl came floating down from the surface and swam towards her.

She couldn't have been any older than twelve. Maybe a little younger by appearance. Either way, despite her strangeness, he went to save her. Only to find out that she's actually breathing on her own.

It was weird in Orin's mind, the green girl's eyes flutter open staring back up at him. Barely visible on her throat were gill slits. Stranger still was when she spoke. It didn't seem like her mouth had moved- no her lips weren't moving but he could clearly hear her in his head.

_"Who...are you?"_

He winces a bit at the volume and she seemed visibly concerned, "Could you not speak so loudly? It hurts." He mutters but tries to understand this. "I am Prince Orin of Atlantis." Perhaps this girl was similar to himself? A half Atlantean-"Who might you be?"

_"Me?"_  She puts a slim green hand to her forehead that wrinkles in confusion, " _I...I don't remember."_

At the time, Orin had no idea what she was or even where she came from, however the girl proved quite valuable and even formidable later on. Even if she hadn't aged much by the time Orin had grown into a man and married the love of his life, Mera.

In fact, he dare believed that the girl only appeared to be sixteen then with the mentality of such. It wouldn't be until that time when she helped Tula to save him from Ocean Master did he really realize exactly who his friend truly was.


	4. The Orphan

His family's amazing. Standing by the sidelines, watching them as he had before when they practiced in the empty ring. He had always wanted to go up there, be with them like before.

However, his mother had told him that he would have to wait until the next city-Gotham- to join them up on the trapeze.

For little Dick Grayson, only eight years old, it was equally frustrating and exciting. He had always wanted to go up there with them and now he'll get a chance!

After the show, with the next day off, the Graysons had intended to spend the day together and to see what was here in Central that was interesting. It was a famous city that boosted on having a hero named Flash.

Dick wonders in such a seemingly friendly town, who this person was and if he would show up. He's over heard the customers chat idly about the man and something about a rumored Flash museum?

He doesn't know why there would be one, but nevertheless, the boy happily chatted away about it to his brother and sister as the family winds down for the evening.

He even smiles brightly when his brother teases him and his sister gave him an affectionate kiss on top of his head before they all gathered around his father who told stories about monsters and heroes. He leans against his mother's side as she mends one of the costumes to fit him in the next town.

His eyes close slowly as the story weaves itself into his dreams. The hero flies to the rescue of the princess...

* * *

It was an utter nightmare to Barry Allen who had to appear on the scene. Just because he was the Flash and the Flash did heroic things by stopping villains, did not mean he could save everyone and everything from harm.

For this once, he wished he could.

Instead, the grim forensic scientist shifts through the rubble and dirt finding clues on who would kill this family from the circus. The four bodies had been taken and he knew he would have their clothing soon enough to examine. Some said it was gangs that have moved in, others hinted at the mafia or something that the ringleader owed.

It didn't matter. What did matter, however, was the fact that the youngest member was missing and Barry didn't want to think about it.

Later, almost a month after the family was buried and the circus had left, Barry was currently living with his wife, Iris, in their two story home located in a quite suburb of town.

Things were normal so far, Iris was upstairs working away on her laptop for her latest report and Barry was finishing up his on the dining room table with a bowl of chips and a few other things that he ate while working.

That was when he heard it, a trashcan lid fell loudly on the ground outside. At first, he thought it was just a raccoon but the rattling continued on for a few more moments.

Annoyed for the moment, he leaves his place and went to investigate before he spots it.

Or rather him. A scrawny little boy with rags for clothes eating out of the trash can.

"Hey, don't eat that!" Barry said loudly startling the boy who had equally startling blue eyes. There's a tense moment before the boy turn to run away, fearful of what would happen to him.

Barry couldn't allow this, even as he heard Iris call to him, he snaps in to action to catch the kid. It didn't take him long to do so, even as the boy struggles against him and they enter the house.

"Barry, what in the world?" Iris looks at him as he sits the child down.

"He was eating from the garbage." her husband said, "I can't just.."

"I know." There's no fight here. After all, she had lost her only nephew not too long before so she felt more for the kid than usual. "Come on, lets see what's left that you haven't eaten."

Only a nod there, but Barry turns to the kid frowning a bit. He's seen him before hasn't he?

Still, after feeding him and letting him use the bathroom, giving him Wally's old pj that were kept there, Barry realizes where he's seen him before.

He was the kid from that Grayson case. With that realization along with a few others, Barry didn't want to send the kid away. He's worked enough cases to know how the system works. A kid like Dick, would probably have little chance to place in a home because he's so old with that background of his. Not many people would want to put in the work. Not to mention he could have valuable information that could lead to the arrest of the culprits that killed his family.

When the child was put to bed in the spare room, Barry spoke with his wife about it. It's no wonder why they worked so well because she was about to propose the same thing.

They would foster him and in time that the couple came to know him, they eventually adopted him on his ninth birthday- which apparently was also the time they found out that he knew that Barry was the Flash.

When asked, Dick had only grinned at them and said the clues were obvious- "Especially your voice. Might wanna change that."

It wasn't too long after that that Dick began helping Barry with the rogues that cropped up in Central City.

To which now, a few years later, Barry can honestly say he couldn't imagine not having Richard Grayson-Allen as a member of their family.

Even if they're still missing one.


	5. Hansel and Gretel

When he found her, the girl had a fever shivering in the rain that often visits Gotham this time of year. She looked like she was only seven or so. He had been worried at the time that she would've died.

But he was skilled enough in the ways of medicine- at least recognizing some plants of this area- that it helped. It also helped that he stole from stores and money from people on the streets to buy actual medicine and food.

He wasn't much older himself, after all he's only ten now. He was proud of the fact that he eked out a living doing these things and could very well support her too.

It almost validate something in him for it. However, when she was well enough she starts talking about her sister and how lost she had been and where her sister had run off too. He doesn't know but when she starts crying sometimes, he finds himself awkwardly trying to comfort her and then when she sleeps he looks for her.

This doesn't last too long though, this street-life. It ends on a particularly dark night when they were trying to find a new place to stay. Child Welfare found the old place and now they're on the run again.

"Nothin' good will happen if they find us." He told her seriously as she tries to keep up. Clutching that ridiculous dirty old teddy bear of hers. "They don't care and will split us up."

At that her eyes seem to have widen then narrows. She didn't want another person to disappear from her life.

Already two people had.

They kept running until they ran into some obvious trouble. Trouble being that a guy fell from above and in front of them. Instantly, he moves to protect the younger girl, staring grimly down while from behind him she looks up then down frowning a bit.

"Who is that?" She mutters looking around him, "Do you think he's hurt?"

"Maybe." Hesitantly, he moves forward with the lamp light flickering off and on as if it couldn't make up it's mind on which it wanted to be. "Think so."

"We should help him." She said moving to rummage in one of the bags on her back. "I mean..we can't just leave him!"

"Dunno." He frowns but his eyes widen a bit, "Wait!"

"What?" She half glares at him, "Just gonna put a band-aid on it."

"That's That guy..he's.."

"Hm?"

* * *

Alfred has no idea why he should be surprised when the batmobile shows up and the owner of the vehicle winces crawling out of the driver's side that there were two additional voices to this.

No, correction, it was one. However he believes that perhaps the man in the suit had some reason for this that he would explain later after Alfred takes better care of that wound.

He's still a bit surprised- no more like amused at this point- that the children kept somewhat an eye on him as he tended to the man's wounds. It was interesting, he admitted to himself, that the work done wasn't entirely bad.

"I see.." He mutters to himself sewing up the deep cut, "Which one of you did this?"

Shyly, the girl peers up at him and raises her hand, "I did."

"Well then miss, " Alfred said, "You did a right smashing job of it. Without such help he would've been worse off."

Once she understood the compliment, she smiles brightly at him.

"Now then, " The butler continues, "Who would like something to eat?"

The boy hesitates a bit at this, unsure whether there's a threat somewhere in this or not, but seeing as they did just help Batman and this guy did say food- they haven't had a decent piece of bread between them in ages- he could only nod.

Not so long after that, however, Bruce Wayne officially adopted two orphan children when it became apparent that as their lives had been then, they would not reach the potential he saw in them.

It was also not so long after that that Batman had a sidekick by the name of Kites. Soon followed some years later by a girl called Shrikes.

Together, they scare the ever living shit out of the villains at night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shrikes and Kite are a type of birds of prey.


	6. Prince Rosebud

He searched, for years he had searched for his missing niece trying to sense where she was and or if he could even locate her body if worse came to worse. However as time wore on,he found he had to put the search for her aside more often than not.

At least that was until he felt something-someone calling him. Trying to catch his attention.

Curious as he was, Martian Manhunter decided to investigate this. After all, what if it's his niece that needed his help? J'onn couldn't turn away from it.  

As he phases through the building, he comes to find a strange creature had greeted him.  Perhaps, this being would know something about his niece?

* * *

When he opens his eyes there's a soothing voice in his mind telling him to remain calm and that everything would be alright. The person in front of him is strange- nothing that the g-gnomes have ever showed him- and green.

He tells him to come with him, but he doesn't know. Then again, what would it be like to be up there?

Or rather is the world what the gnomes had showed him?

Would he meet Superman?

He doesn't have time to contemplate this much as the green man takes his hand and leads him out of this place entirely unseen. Except by the strange horned gnome that stares right at him.

_"Keep our little brother safe, martian."_

Martian? Is that what the green man is?

How strange, but he doesn't know what to say to that. However, he does know that once he sees this vast space above him and things- lights that are called stars- twinkling above and a huge glowing orb in the sky- the moon- he felt a sense of wonderment. The air, no longer filtered and sanitized, holds various scents that he's never experienced before. It fills his mind up as it automatically tries to identify what each scent is. There's too many plus the sounds that he can hear is slowly overwhelming him so much, he can't hear. He covers his ears, tries to block out the distant sounds.

"It is alright." J'onn says to him, "it will take some time to get use to it."

After some time, it did. Everything seem to lessen just a bit, but he doesn't know how.  Still, he looks up once more then around at his surroundings, his heart trying to slow down from the sudden influx of sensation and sounds.  It was a rush.

He realizes just how big the world is outside his tube.


	7. This Looks Like A Job For Superman

The first week that the boy was there, Clark learned a great many things about him.

For one, he likes fish. This, Clark found out on the first day when the kid wouldn't eat. That worried him so much at the time that he thought he would've had gray hairs.

It started the morning after he brought the kid to his small apartment where he managed to get the kid in the tub- that was something of a strange feat as the child seemed to be mildly confused about water in a tub. Clark wonders if he's ever seen such a thing before or not- cleaned him up a bit while trying to get him to talk.  He was mute for most of the time with only a small indication of not wanting to be alone which usually came in the form of a small webbed hand tugging on whatever bit of clothe he could find to cling to.

"Well," Clark had said finally after many failed attempts at coaxing a word out of the silent child, "I can't just call you..nothing or..kid all the time."

At the time the boy only tilts his head watching him with interest in the living room wearing an oversized shirt- possibly the smallest shirt Clark ever had- getting tucked into his 'bed' on the couch.

"What should we call you?" He muttered thoughtfully, "How about...Jonathan?"

Upon that he received an extremely blank look.

"Oh..kay, how about...Jar'el?"

Another stare though this one seemed almost as if the child was asking him if he was serious. Or maybe he was simply imagining it.

"Hm.. There must be something..I mean you won't tell me your name."

The boy tilted his head, brow furrowed in thought as if he was trying to pick up the wording because it was blindingly obvious the child spoke no English whatsoever. Having decided to give it a rest for the night he flicked off the light leaving the one in the small kitchen on still before he went to bed himself.

Sometime in the middle of the night, however, Clark woke to something small curled up on the left side of the bed that was far enough away to not be touching him and to take up the least amount of space he could.

With a sigh, the man of steel only tucked some blankets around the sleeping child still pondering on what to call him.

* * *

In the morning, he fairs no better than he had the night before. The boy remains nameless for now and he had to beg off work for a short time.

In the meantime, he had to feed and clothed this boy. However he wondered what to do in the legal aspect. Perhaps he could foster him? He'll need some help, he knows.

For a brief moment he considered calling Lois but cringed mentally at that. Her brash attitude may not be..suited for this- then again he better see what the kid could eat first.

So, came the experiment.

First he tried cereal- a readily and easily one of the normal food groups most kids like. He was certain that the kid would at least eat this, after all what wasn't there not to like?

Only he got another blank stare with nearly colorless eyes that flicker from the bowl to him and back again. So, Clark tried to show him how to eat it but that proved to only feed him and the child to just stare at him like he was crazy- or perhaps he was imagining that as well?

Then, after looking around in his fridge for a couple of minutes, he figured he might as well try a few more of the food groups. So he made toast, chopped up some vegetables, chopped up whatever fruit he had lying around- but none of that seem to interest the boy.

Considering for a moment longer while the child poked at the sticky fruit with a cautious webbed finger, his face scrunched up in concentration, he wonders if- it could be possible- the child would like fish?

It's the only thing he's got left and the way the kid frowned at the stickiness of the fruit, it might be a good bet.

So, he grilled the fish- grouper, there's always plenty of that in the frozen section- before presenting it to the boy.

Cautiously the kid sniffs at it for a moment but it seems he was in business when the kid uses his hands to take pieces of it and eat.

_Now_ , Clark thought,  _it's all about showing him how to eat everything else and not just fish._  For a moment there was peace in the Kent home up until he smells something that wasn't pleasant at all.

That's when it hit him that this kid may not have been potty trained either.


	8. It's all about Branding

Wally inhales slowly and counts to ten, just like Dinah told him to do when Ollie's decided on something ridiculous. 

Like now.

His foster father had taken it upon himself, when Wally had expressed interest in doing some hero work, to put together a costume for fighting in. Oliver then, without much permission, stormed into his room, thrust the box into his hands and said, "Put it on."

Not understanding what it was, at the time, Wally had put the costume on.  Oliver steered him to the mirror, with a grin as wide as the sky, and asked, "what do you think about it?  It looks great on you!  How about the name, Speedy? It sounds good, doesn't it?"

"I'm not going to be called Speedy."  Wally growled and looked at him, his face slightly redden, "this looks dumb! The hat is dumb!"

"What's the matter with the name ' _Speedy'_?' Oliver asks, "And the hat. The hat works well with our theme!"

" _Everything._ " Wally huffs blowing the bangs from his face. "I mean, I'm  _twelve_ , not  _eight_! I can't be running around in  _tights!_ "

"They're  _not_  tights."

"I am  _not_  getting called Speedy! That sounds like a Flash sidekick."

After a while, Oliver still gestures at the hat, "...So..the Hat's still in?"

Green eyes flickered towards the blonde then the ridiculously bright yellow hat and back. "...Fine. I'll wear the stupid hat but I am not  _Speedy_!"

He ended up being called ' _Lil' John_ ' instead. Maybe he should've been Speedy after all. It would've been less embarrassing.  What was it and Oliver with Robin Hood?


	9. Ground Rules

"I don't want to go!" Roy declares, glaring a little at Bruce Wayne as he looked down at his food. "I mean, what's the point of it?"

"That you could possibly reach your potential to it's fullest there?" Bruce recalls a time when he was not quite fond of school as well. "It's Gotham Academy, one of the finest schools around."

Roy made a face, "Finest shi-"

"I don't mind it." Artemis says quickly cutting her 'brother' off. She fidgets just a bit in her seat but still smiles up at Bruce. "I think it'll be fun."

"Says who?" Roy sets his jaw and stabs his food with vengeance at this injustice he's been dealt. "It'll suck!"

"Nu-uh."

"Uh-huh."

"Nu-uh."

"Yes it will!"

"No, it won't!"

Alfred intervened by setting out dessert. "Would anyone like some hot chocolate?"

There was a short silence before the children agreed in a silent truce in favor of goodies.

* * *

Of course, this doesn't mean that the conversation was over- not by a long shot.

"I don't want to go." Roy's plaintive tone in the backseat of the car came again. He loosens the tie, clearly unhappy about all this. "Besides, this looks stupid!"

"It is merely the uniform, Master Roy." Alfred answered. " You do not hear Miss Artemis complain."

Artemis's hair was braided back with a little green bow at the bottom. She sat up and smirked when she looked over at him, sticking her tongue out. 

Roy scowled at her, slouching in the seat and folded his arms for a while longer. "Whatever."

* * *

Bruce's heart nearly leapt into his throat when he got a call from the school. However the fear was momentary and he sighed deeply. Wonderful...

First day of school and they couldn't go without a fight.

"Why did you beat those kids?" Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment, "That was uncalled for and unfair- to them."

Roy, sporting a a few bruises but relatively better off then those kids from school, kept his gaze fixed on the wall behind Bruce. "They wouldn't leave Artemis alone."

"You realize the teachers are there-"

"They're  _all_  suck ups!" Roy glared at him, his body language was clearly defensive. " They didn't do anything when Artemis told her teacher about it and it only got worse! What did you think I'd do? Lie down and let them pick on my sister?"

 Bruce couldn't fault him for that. Still, he only shook his head wondering exactly how to deal with this.

"Alright."

Roy blinked, "What?"

"I said Alright. It was justifiable that you would defend her- however, you should've let them throw the first punch instead of seeking it out."

Roy shuffled his feet a bit. Still, he hadn't entirely expected that.

"From now on, don't start the fights- but you better finish them if they come for you or Artemis." Bruce nodded to himself in thought, "I'll have Alfred bring Artemis here. I think it's time for some ground rules."


	10. It's like being on a see-saw

M'gann can only stare ahead for a long time before a smile erupted across her face. Her auburn hair floats after her as she hugged Orin tightly, extremely happy for him.

"That is wonderful news, Prince Orin!" She said pulling back, "Has she accepted- tell me she has!"

"She has." Orin smiled proudly.

M'gann only beam and began listing things that would be needed for the ceremony, "Oh, and let us not forget that they-"

"I think, " Orin chuckled watching her, "That you should speak to my mother about such things and I believe that Mera herself would like some input in the celebration."

Blushing a bit at that, M'gann nodded again, "I apologize. It is just so exciting and  _romantic_!"

Orin scratched his stubble chin for a moment. He was trying to grow his beard out- Mera had said he would look quite handsome that way. "Only you would romanticize a  _battle_  to the death."

"Well, it was fortunate that she was there, Prince Orin, otherwise you would not be here either." M'gann told him a bit trying hard not to rub it in too much. Used to be such a sore spot for him. She's glad he got over it.

Sure it took him and Mera some years to realize their feelings for each other and of course some battles- but none of that mattered now!

M'gann couldn't be any more happier for her friend and prince than she was at that moment.

* * *

When Orin's mother passed on, M'gann couldn't even stand being in the city. The grief was all too much and nearly  _drowned_  her with the emotions of sadness. She doesn't know why she understood how everyone was feeling at any given time, but such a gift was equally a curse.

And when her friend needed her the most, she wanted nothing more than to run away from him and hide in the deepest crevice in the sea.

However, she took the pain spells she had been able to get a hold of from one of the students at the Conservatory and was there at the family's side for as long as they needed her.

She really wished she had the power to make this all better for them.


	11. Black, White, and Pants

There's several things that Barry understood about the world he lived in at the moment. These things usually make a nice line of coherent sense and normally- normally- it would be acknowledged and life would continue on.

However this, whatever this is, takes the cake. One of his rouges decided it was a wonderful time- around Iris's birthday for godsakes- to plan a heist and this was about the same time he and Rich (He refused to call this boy by the nickname 'Dick' because.. Well hell!) needed to grab some cash form the ATM to get her a present.

At the time he had no idea what had happened until it was all over.

He did his thing as the Flash -after hiding to change of course- and had felt infinitely proud enough when it was over to talk to his 'son' about it.

Apparently, Dick had a strange bemused look on his face at this.

"Is there a reason why you always seem to go easy on them?" The boy asked after he bought some ice cream (ok, so he had half a tower and the kid was eating one cone. It wasn't as bad as it looked. Particularly it was delicious and that reminded him he needed to see if he could pawn Rich off on either Hal or John tonight..eh.. He'll ask John. At least he could be reliable when it comes to being around and with kids).

"Easy?" Barry glanced at him, "I just sent him to jail for another few months. Trickster is behind bars -and is receiving medication mind you- and"

"But you know enough about them to put them away for several years." Dick pointed out but caught himself licking the ice cream so it wouldn't drip on his clothes-Iris would kill him. "So why are you always so.. _nice_  to them a lot?"

Now that he was nearly done with his ice cream, Barry shook his head and pats Dick's shoulder. "It's called discretion." He began, "You can't always look at everything so black and white, Rich. The reason why I go easy on them sometimes is simply because of the circumstances that sometimes forces a person to do drastic-admittedly stupid- things." After a moment he shrugged and devoured the rest of the frozen treat. " Since you know so much, why don't I give you one of my first cases to glance at and see how you judge it."

Most people wouldn't give an eleven year old such a thing. However, Barry has known that Dick wasn't a normal kid- not by a long shot.

He gave him a simple B&E case that looked- on the surface at least- like a straight forward deal.

A month later, the boy came back to him unhappy that he couldn't make a clear cut decision on the case. After all, at the time the culprit had robbed that house because it was the first convenient house there was on the block. The only thing the robber stole was some cash and food from the fridge. The reason why the culprit had done so was to feed two children that was under the prep.'s care.

Children from a neglected home that looked decent when Child Services had there random, occasional visits. The culprit also couldn't land a job anywhere because of previous arrests made the culprit undesirable and more or less homeless.

Dick couldn't make himself want to punish such a person.

Barry had only smiled at the time seeing it clicked in the kid's head as to the reality of the situation.

* * *

It's only later did Barry come across a few interesting things about the boy that made him confront the very thing he tried to reason that wasn't possible.

Dick followed Flash once, disguised in some outfit (where the hell did that come from?), using skills he practiced on his free time to help him capture Captain Cold by blind-siding the older man with sudden bright light to the eyes.

"Where'd you get that?" Flash had asked( _oh god, Irisisgoingtokillme!_ )"Why are you even here?"

"Well." the costumed boy replied with a sly grin, "I thought I could help you! I mean, I'm good at it-and"

"What?" Flash could only see the horror that would be his wife when she realize exactly where their 'son' was not- which was not at school. "You can't be here!"

"But you looked like you needed help!"

"Yeah, but your mother is going to _kill_  me!"

After a beat Dick glanced at him then at the scene and back again, "...I vote we hide in Italy for a while. I heard there's some great food there?"

Pointless delaying tactic- Flash  _wholeheartedly_  agreed.

"Seriously though," He said picking the kid up, "What's with the costume?"

"What's wrong with it?"

"Don't you think you should put on some  _pants_?"

"It's a _leotard_!"

"...While we're there, we've got to get you a better outfit."


	12. Cinderella's jealousy over a step-sister

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Conner's bits are Future(or rather present). Everyone else until a certain point are all past.

* * *

 

 

It's been four months since he'd came to stay with J'onn J'onzz and no one knows his secret. His hair has been styled in a way that was suitable for a boy his age. With the back mostly shaved the front was long and slightly curly.

In this first meeting with Superman and his sidekick, Conner remains remote for the time being observing them. Like many, he knows that the other teen isn't biologically Superman's child, but none the less it didn't seem to matter.

Behind the sunglasses, he watches them with hungry crystal blue eyes taking in every gesture and expression. The desire to say something burns in him as much as any other.

Would Superman acknowledge him? Would he treat him the way he treats his protege?

Conner hopes so , but nerves and fear get in the way most often when he wants to tell him.

J'onn cautions him not to say a word about it and go on with his life. That maybe it would be better to leave well enough alone, no matter how painful it is.

"It would be too much of a shock for him. " The green martian told him once, "This must be handled delicately."

So Conner waits...

* * *

His wait is turning more into something akin to jealousy and alternatively something close to rage at being denied this. How?  _How_  could J'onn ask him to keep quiet when..?

It's like being being _hungry_  and having food close at hand but denied such a feast because of some obscure decorum that must be adhered to.

It is not the first time Conner had to bite his lip and look away. That he's glad to have sunglasses on that kept others from seeing what's really in his eyes when he looks at Superman's protege.

Conner learns that  _jealousy_  is a very ugly emotion to experience.


	13. Tantrums are dangerous

It took a little help from Diana- purely by accident to be honest- that made him realize that the boy who's now been living with him for at least two months straight, who's never spoken a single word in all that time, belong to the pantheon god, Poseidon. Or rather, an Atlantean.

"How do you know?" He frowned at her as she studied the boy wearing hand-me-down clothes that Clark had gotten his Ma to send out. "I mean, just by looking at him. I thought Amazons traditionally-"

"They don't." She brushed a black lock of hair back but smiled simply at the boy, "However, it doesn't mean we're entirely ignorant of those similar to us and their fate. Atlanttis is one of those cities we've learned about through word of mouth of other goddesses that happen to come to our island. "

Though Clark understood that he then had to ask, "What will happen to him if I take him back?"

"If you can." Diana said offering the curious boy some water. "From what I heard, they don't take kindly to strangers- especially those from the surface. I believe their current king is King Orin also known as- "

"Aquaman." Clark guessed, "the strange hero saving people in the seas, I suppose"

"And also blocking Oil companies from drilling in certain places." Diana adds. "If you could manage even an audience with him, that's good, but there's no assurance that this little one will find his parents. Or," She looked away and toward him, "if they will even want him."

Clark ran his hand through his hair for a moment watching as the boy seemed to have wandered off to the window, staring out of it at the skyline of Metropolis. "Guess there's no choice."

"Hm?" Diana glanced at him. "No choice?"

"Until a better arrangements can be made." He continued muttering to himself thoughtfully, "Say, could you ask him what his name is?"

"Clark, I don't speak-"

"You could try. I'm not exactly sure what Atlantean language sounds like."

She considered this before heading over to the boy and tried her best to convey what she meant to him.

Of that, the most he had gotten was the boy's name: Kal.

If that don't beat all there...

* * *

The first time Clark realized that he may need to train Kal better was when the boy broke the faucet. Well no, he realized it when the kid nearly broke a door in the midst of a very rarely seen tantrum.

The tantrum was over the fact of shoes. Precisely non-sandal shoes. At this point, with Diana's help, Clark had gotten the boy to learn some words of English and more.

His favored word, it seemed, was "No."

Well, in the situation Clark found himself in was quite messed up in the sense that he was trying hard to persuade Kal to wear normal shoes. Otherwise he couldn't very well attend school in sandals. This apparently, has struck a cord because every time he gave the shoes to Kal, they came flying back out the door.

Last time it hit him on the back of the head.

"Listen, you're not leaving this house until you've put on those shoes." He tries to be stern, but it's hard when looking down at a four year old who's bottom lip seemed to have quivered a bit. Still, maybe.. "Look, if you wear them, you might like them."

"No." It sounded utterly resolute and stubborn.

"You're not leaving until they're on, Kal and that's final." Clark resolutely turned away and closed the door behind him heading into the kitchen to drink some coffee.

Which was when he heard a rather loud thump followed by a cracking sound. Rushing back to the boy's room- he converted the extra bedroom into Kal's- he saw a shoe shaped impression in the door.

What the...?

"Kal?" He opened the door and saw that the child had his back to the door, sulking still.

Clark sighed deeply. This.. was about to be a great deal harder than he originally had thought.


	14. Lil' Brain

The first time Lil John worked with Kites and Shrikes, he didn't think too much of them. Well, correction, he thought they were a lot like their mentor.

However, it turns out that he and Shrikes often butt heads and Kites normally sides with Shrikes a lot. It's annoying, and he feels put out a lot when they disappear randomly and he was the proverbial bait often.

However, the one time that Shrikes slips up is the one time he scrambles to save her for once.

"Guess bats aren't invincible." The thirteen year old smirks.

Shrikes, on the other hand, smacked him upside the head, "If you let go of me we can run."

"Run?"

On cue, he heard the men yell that they've found them and groans, "Aw maaan."

Shirkes moved quickly just as her brother appeared out of nowhere to deal with them, "They should call him Lil' brain!" She huffed.

"Not now, you two." Kites moved to kick another one in the face.

Lil John was always tempted to openly use his power to show them exactly how useful he'd be- but he had promised himself that as long as he was in hiding that he shouldn't draw attention to himself like that.

Not unless someone was going to die at least.

"Hmph, how can something that cute be such a shrew?" He muttered drawing the arrow and notching it, "Green Arrow is totally wrong. That chick is a-"

There was something of a satisfying 'thwack' that hit one of the men in the shoulder.


	15. Sky meet Water

Shrikes had only heard about Superman's protege from Kites, who had been able to meet him- completely on accident actually.

From Kites's description, this guy was just as strong as superman- OK, that might be an exaggeration but _still_!- and that he can jump really high too.

However, the twelve year old's mind couldn't quite grasp the boy's personality by the way the her brother spoke about him.

"Bit weird." Kites had told her. "He's got gills and webbing too."

"Webbing? Not like Spiderman kind of webbing?"

"Of course not." Kites said without even looking over at her from his binoculars. "I mean like..real between the fingers webbing. And some funny tattoos too."

"Tattoos? Isn't he your age?" She had blinked at that. "I didn't think it was-"

"It's not, but it could be a birth thing. You know, meta-humans are different."

* * *

Shrikes thought about what he had said, and she'd had to agree with him. After what happened in Dakota City, those guys were spreading out- not to mention a ton of other weird stuff she's heard about them.

Still, it compared to nothing when she actually does meet the guy. He's about the same age as her brother but ..

"You're..." She looks him over again, "Haven't I seen you before?"

"I don't think so." The older boy told her and offers his hand to her.

He really _does_ have webbing there!

"Come on, I'm sure Kites's looking for you." He even flashes a smile at her that made her blush lightly. This is completely weird... Still, she grabs onto his forearm and lifts herself up.

"What do they call you?" Shrikes actually never heard his name. It didn't seem like the media had one for him either.

"Nothing." He answers, " I don't have a name yet. Haven't really decided on one to be honest."

"But all heroes have one." She glances around, "We better get out of here. "

"Indeed." His light eyes flicker around a bit, "I hear people coming."

"Superhearing?"

"Something like that."

* * *

Once they return to the rendezvous point, Kites looks her over, checking for any damage or injury-much like their mentor did.

The boy she met only gives Kites a smile more like  _'As if I would let your little sister get hurt?_ ' kind of look before turning to his own mentor.

He winces slightly at the disapproving frown but it ease into a more worry like expression as he ruffled the boy's soft cue cut hair..

"Are you sure you're alright?" Superman seems to ask for the thousandth time.

"Yeah. It wasn't any trouble. Just like hide and seek." The boy replies, "I told you, I can handle this."

"I know but.."

As Shrikes watches this exchange, it reminds her of something almost six years ago. Her mother...her sister..and...

She grimaces, yes. Her mother's in jail, her father- she has no idea where he is, and her sister...

She still searches Gotham's streets for the black hair girl. She never finds her but still...

"Lets go." Batman told her and her brother.

Next time when they run into him, he has a name: Nereus


	16. The Oddities of Land

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometime before Wally meets the bat siblings.

The first time M'gann steps onto land she has a sense of familiarity, but not really. She frowns at the loud noises and the startling clarity in which she could see everything around her.

In her disguise- because King Orin had told her about how off her skin-tone would be to others- she had chosen a hair color that would match Queen Mera's and Tula's. It's a bit short, but she likes it this way. It's more practical to fight in. Even more so, she based her new uniform on the soldier's uniforms back home and a few new current fashions that were going on in Atlantis right now.

With a short sleeved skintight suit which is a dark blue with white stripes down the sides of the sleeves that continue to the white skintight shorts she wore that left her middriff open. The world seem so new to her- yet there's something that bothered her about it, however she glances over at King Orin and smiles faintly.

"It is as amazing as they say." She says quietly but teeters a little on the soft shifting sand.

"Both the sea and land offer different wonders." Orin told her but looked ahead. "After all, you came from here, I believe."

M'gann could only shrug, "If I had, I do not recall it." She pause for a moment, "Where shall we go next?"

* * *

She hadn't meant to startle him, but she couldn't really hold this form any longer. After all, she;d hoped that perhaps he would leave, but it was not the case. Lil' John, as he's called, was simply highly tenacious when it came to investigating some compound she had never heard of.

"Whoa!" He stepped back from her and shook his head. "What was  _that_?"

"I apologize." Her usual green cheeks were heated, "I..have never had to hide my form for so long. Please, do not tell anyone!"

"No..no, I... _wow_.. You know..." Lil John said taking a breath before moving up next to her with a sly smirk, "I totally dig the green skin look."

"Excuse me?" Her brown eyes flickered from him and back to what they should have been doing, but she couldn't quite stop the feeling of utter happiness that blossomed in her chest at this. He wasn't afraid or even freaked out by her skin tone. He's not.. "It does not disgust you?"

"Nah, why should it?" Lil John asked before moving to finish collecting the samples they needed. "What's your name?"

"Aqualass."

"Seriously?" He raised a brow, "I mean, really, what's your name?"

"I'm.." She stopped shot of actually saying it. After all, she wasn't suppose to give out her real name. Yet she felt she could trust him with it. "Megan."

"Well, Megs," He stood up, " it's time to go. We got what we needed. Think you could help with getting us out of here?"

"I..believe so. My powers are quite limited." She told him but smiled as she helped him escape. He was a strange boy, that she was certain of, however... he wasn't afraid of her and he doesn't really seem like a bad person.

Perhaps this would be a lovely friendship here?


	17. Pinkie Promise

Velocity's fast.  He's fast because he wanted to see if he could re-create what had happened to his adoptive father could happen again to him.  Least to say, it did.  He's the fastest kid around. He especially loves it when he runs and jumps off of high buildings. For a moment, it's almost as if he could fly.  At least, before he lands and runs off again. 

But speed isn't everything for him.  It's a delightful bonus, really.  He considers his real talents to be a lot like his parents- his deductive reasoning and memory.

Not a photographic memory, mind, but it's still very good and he prided himself on memorizing things. Random things sometimes, but could recall it in detail.

So the first time he works with Lil John, he can't shake the feeling he's seen him somewhere before. The more they worked on this particular mission, the more Velocity stared noticing familiar ticks that he's seen.  The way Lil' John leans to a certain way when puzzled. There's something eerily familiar about his eyes. The shape of his face.  It looked a lot like-

"Iris."

Lil John jumped at the name, eyes wide, though they couldn't be seen, and his breathing quickened.  He looked like someone that was caught doing something wrong. 

Which meant, Velocity's right.  

"You're-"

"Shh." Lil John looks away from him,  "Don't. I- look, I'll explain later, but you can't tell anyone, ok?  I just- Just don't."

It sucked, but Velocity promised.  At least until he could understand the situation better.

At the age of twelve- making Lil John at least fourteen in this- Velocity had discovered more than just where Captain Boomerang had hidden the diamonds from the latest in a long line of jewelry store robberies.

He also found the missing Wally West.

The one that his Dad and Mom were still looking for.

And he can't tell a soul about it.


	18. Have a little patience

_"Conner._ " The feel of another mind brushes up against his own and he glances over seeing the familiar form of J'onn take shape from the shadows. He's lived with the Martian for at least five months now and he's still adjusting to this life of his.

He wants to hide his resentment and hurt from the green man, however, it is very difficult to do so from a man that's been inside his head more times then he can count. So, he doesn't even bother as he rubs his eyes.

" _I know how much it pains you."_  J'onn continues and places a hand on the clone's shoulder,  _"It pains me as well._ "

" _How can you possibly understand_?" Conner didn't mean to snap but his emotions get the better of him. " _Every day since that...time and then when this team has been formed, all I can see is them. Superman and.._ Nereus."

J'onn sits down next to him, ' _Your jealousy towards him can be felt by all. I believe even Velocity can tell."_

_"It's not fair!_ " Conner turns to him suddenly and hates that he feels that sting in his eyes. He blinks them away - _refusing_ \- to let even a tear form. No. He shouldn't. " _I just.. I just want-_ "

" _Him to recognize and take you in as he did with Nereus_." the Martian supplies,  _"I know...I have been most unfair to you in this regard. Asking you to wait."_

" _It's not just you._ " Conner breathes out running his hand over his face, " _I'm afraid too."_

" _Aren't we all?_ " J'onn adds with a faint smile but sends a soothing encouragement to him. " _We will tell him, eventually, Conner. Please, have a little patience in this. "_


	19. Delight and Fear

When Ma and Pa get a visit from Clark, they're rather surprised to see a little boy in tow. Ma Kent instantly raised her brow before announcing she'd take the boy in and that Clark will have to explain everything to them over cookies.

Pa Kent was at least some what vaguely amused by this as they sat down and Ma made a fuss over the child as Clark explained the situation.

"That's really good of you, Clark." Pa said to him, "Taking him in and all like that."

Clark nodded but watched idly as Ma tried to explain to Kal about food. "I've got to say, Pa, I am sorry for everything I have ever put you through. I never knew how tough it would be."

Pa only laughed, "Well, it's one of those joys of life that you are now getting to experience."

"No kidding." He chuckled.

 

Later on, Ma called Kal to take a bath and seemed suitably surprised at how quick the boy went to the bathroom.

"Well, I've never managed to get Clark to get there voluntarily or that fast." She laughed to herself amused.

"That's because he loves water." Clark said leaning against the banister looking up at her.

She snorted, "I know that, son. Though..."

The dark haired superhero tilted his head slightly, "What is it, ma?"

"Nothing, Clark." She sighed a bit, "I just worry a little. How the future will be for you and him. "

He didn't have anything to add to that. After all, he was worried too.

* * *

Clark's worry multiplied when, two years later, Kal had to attend school. There was no helping it, no matter how much Clark wished there was a school for this. He personally dropped the now six year old boy off at a private school in Metropolis.

"Remember what I told you, Kal." Clark kept messing with the boy's blazer and fixing the collar to hid the gills better. "No matter what, don't use your super strength. Don't hit anyone, and-"

"I know." Kal smiled at him, "If there's trouble get the teacher."

"Good. And what else?"

"That I don't know Superman."

"That's right." Clark glanced up at the building and wondered if he should reconsider, but it took him a while to even get him in this school. Especially, since it's so expensive too... "I think that's everything. I'll come by to pick you up after school, alright?"

"Yes, Da."

With a final hug, Clark sent the boy off but could not help but keep an ear out for him even as he turned to go to work.

He really hoped nothing went wrong.

* * *

Why did Clark had to jinx himself? He was running late to pick Kal up from school. In all fairness, he had to help stop super-villains from doing their favorite pastime. It simply took longer than he wanted.

When he arrived there, the school looked completely deserted. He listened for a moment, trying to find where Kal was.

"Kal? Kal?" Clark called out to him. "Where are you?"

Glancing around, he took off his glasses and scanned the area for him. Somewhere, the boy must be hiding. He saw a shape in the playground, hidden behind something. Quickly, he took off to find it and breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Kal.."

The little boy glanced up at him with confused eyes. "Da?"

"What are you doing here? I was worried about you." Clark could feel his heartbeat slow down eventually. Good god, this boy. "Why didn't you answer me?"

"Because." Kal stood up, "They said I had to be quiet and hide until they found me."

Clark frowned a little, "You were playing hide and seek?"

"Yup. They said that we had to hide and wait until they found us." He also frowned a little but more out of confusion, "I waited and waited all this time but no one came to look for me." He blinked looking up at Clark, "But you did."

"Of course I did." Clark breathed out before picking him up, "Always will. Now lets go home."

The boy smiled happily enough and just held on as they went back home.

But his father worried about him still.  There were some things that even Superman couldn't protect him from.


	20. Wishin', Hopin' , and Prayin'

Wally cannot believe this happened. Even now, sitting in the darkness of his room, he replayed the battle all over again. He should've been more careful!  Though, he doesn't know how his 'cousin' found out about his real identity. What had he done to give it away?  Probably, to start with, he responded to his Aunt's name.  Which was a dumb move on his part. 

He groaned and hit his pillow with his fist.

"How could I be so stupid?" Turning over, he curled on his side unsure of what to do about this. For years, he's kept it a secret from everyone and now..

He swallowed.

"I can't go back." He told himself, "I just..can't."

No, he couldn't' go back.  He couldn't endure those silent rooms and quiet voices. The too niceness of them. Their pity. He couldn't go back to living in a world where his tragedy was whispered about in some tone like it was bad luck.

_"Promise me."_  He recalled himself saying that after they had found somewhere safer to be.  _"Promise, you won't tell them."_

_"But.. Dad and Mom..they could take you in and-_ " Velocity had tried to persuade him with such an interesting notion he'd entertained once when living on the streets had become too much. But that was just before he met Oliver Queen.

But...

_"I have a life now with Green Arrow. It's a good one too. I don't... They don't need me there. They don't need some reminder of what they lost there either."_

Now, Wally hoped. _.No_ , he is  _fervently_  praying -something he hardly ,if ever, does- that this one time, this one time, for things to go right.

It's better, he believed, for them to remain this way.


	21. The Bird that Flew the Coop.

He does not yell.  He  _raged_  against their mentor. The man that they had helped and then in turn had taken them in. Taught them everything they needed to know to survive Gotham's worst, and Roy found he could no longer trust or follow him.

No, more like he could trust him to a  _point_ , but after what had happened to his sister...

"How could you?" Blue eyes darkened with pure unadulterated rage, "How could you  _sit_  there and  _not_  go after him? After what he's done to her?"

"Killing him will not solve-"

"It would have solved  _EVERYTHING_!" He cannot take this. He...c _an't_. All he could see is Artemis- as Shrikes- and her body nearly  _broken_  because of that manic. That vile, death-worshiping psychopath dressed as a hideous clown. "No one would have to go through that pain.  _No one_! And you aren't.. you  _don't_  even  _want_  to kill him? No..  _no_ , you're the  _great_  Batman that's never killed anyone! Maybe, if you did- just _this_ one- no one would have to suffer or die!"

" _Enough,_  Roy." Bruce could only watch the seventeen year old boy turn away from him. "Killing him won't make Artemis better or help anyone. It would just mean you would-"

" _Shut up_ , Bruce!" Roy was shaking. Artemis had been out for two weeks after that incident and Roy had searched high and low for that sick piece of shit, only to find that even in Arkham, he was in a level that even Roy couldn't access with all the skills he's been taught.

But then again, maybe that was by design on Bruce's part?

It hurt, to think this but ...

"I can't deal with this." He said suddenly and left the room.

* * *

Facing her was awful. Roy's thankful that the others were asleep right now, otherwise it would've been worse. He hated to leave them like this- he really did. After all, who would look after them all when he's gone?

But, he reasoned to himself that there was no choice in the matter. Bruce and his ridiculous ideals were going to get them all killed. Someone had to be out there. Someone had to do this.

However, looking down at his fifteen year old sister-her birthday had recently been celebrated almost three days ago- he could feel his resolve melt just a little. She'd been crying, he could tell because of the slight puffiness around her eyes. She always did try to act tougher than she really was and this was no exception.

"Don't go, please." He really hated to hear that tone in her voice. That same tone he heard when she was delirious with fever and calling out for a sister he's never met. "What about the others? What about our friends? And.."

"I'll be nearby." He doesn't resist the urge to pull her close and hug her tightly, "I'm always going to look out for you, so you got to look out for the others. Don't think of this as me leaving. I'm not leaving you- any of you- just this house. Just.. _him_."

"I'm alright, Roy. The Joker-"

"You could've  _died_ , Artemis!" He pulled back and looked at her, "I don't want to see them in that position either. I don't want to see  _anyone_  in that position. If Bruce isn't going to make this city safer by  _really_  getting rid of those bastards, then  _I_  will."

Artemis worried her lower lip for a moment before she nods slowly, even though she didn't want him to go.

" _Just stay right here, Artemis."_  She recalled the last time her sister had said that to her,  _"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."_

Her sister never came back.

She feared he wouldn't either even as he slipped away from her and picked up his things to leave the Wayne Manor.

Covering her mouth, she tried to stifle any sounds that would come out long after his car disappeared out of the gate. Behind her, two solemn men watched.

Both with very different feelings of regret.


	22. Kind of Obvious

Velocity's worked with not only the batsibilings but with Aqualass and Lil John several times. This is the first time he's working with Nereus. Really, it's because normally Superman has no reason to be here in the first place. At the time, Velocity is only twelve, almost thirteen when he meets up with him. He kind of likes him because he's quick with a smile- like Lil John is- but there's something confident there. Like together, they could do almost anything.

That confidence bolsters his own assurance that they can get the job done. 

The fight against the bad guys-some minor criminal- doesn't actually go as smoothly as he'd like, but he gets to see Nereus in action.  Even better than what Shrikes had said, Nereus had powers. Ones that could control water. A lot like Aqualass in a way.  It's what also tips him off to something else.

Still, he doesn't feel too bad when the bad guys get away but at least they leave empty handed.

Though another thing Velocity wondered was, what is Superman doing with a person that's probably from Atlantis? He then wondered if the others ever had the same question.


	23. Secrets

As time wore on and their team went on more missions, Conner realizes something that seem to be unobservant to others. For one, Aqualass seems often distracted or off in deep thought, though when ask- especially by Shrikes- she brushes it off as nothing important. He wonders what's really there. Not for the first time did Conner wish for telepathic abilities like his mentor Martian Manhunter.

But there's more to it than that and it's not just her. There's something secretive in the way Lil John and Dick act around each other. Conner knows that they're good friends, but there's something more to it. The way Dick would have a pleading look every time the Flash came around and how Lil John would look away. He wonders what that is about.

Then the way Shrikes always has to have on her sunglasses when she came to the Cave, makes it equally strange but almost understandable. Almost. Explained by Velocity as 'Bat paranoia', Conner wonders if it wasn't better to have everyone do that as well. It makes a great deal of sense to those that have families.

Finally there's Nereus. Conner wants to tell him. He wants to see how it'll work, but Nereus is also apparently troubled about something too. He wonders what it could be, but finally rethinks his decision.

After all, they all had secrets and he'll share his when the time is right. Though it makes him sigh a bit at the fact that his mentor had been right.

It's all about timing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To help anyone confused:  
> Most of the story takes place in the past. (They're slowly moving forward to the present).  
> Conner's story bits consistently takes place in the present.
> 
> The first sidekick Wally meets is Megan (Aqualass).  
> The first sidekick Kal meets is Kites and Shrikes (Roy and Artemis)  
> First sidekick Artemis and Roy meets is Kal.  
> The first sidekick Dick meets is Wally.  
> Conner meets everyone last.


	24. Be Like Da

"But, I don't _need_ glasses." Kal's now ten and has survived the first five years of elementary school. He's also proven to be quite apt at many subjects in schools, averaging at least an A or B in them. "My eyes are _fine_."

However, Kal's Da only tsked a bit, "You're farsighted. So far you've managed to skate by reading context clues of questions and even examples to understand what's going on, haven't you?"

He looked abashed a bit, "Well..." He mumbled before looking away, "Glasses wouldn't make it any better- besides they'll tease me."

"What did I tell you the first time?" His Da sighed and pats the seat next to him. "Kids will tease anyone different. Remember how it was when you started school?"

Kal nodded at that and sat down heavily. "Then I got into sports and now they want to be my friend." He thought about it for a moment, "Da, why do people do things like that?"

"Like?"

"Hurt others? Being mean or they act mean but then act nice when no one's around?"

His Da considered that for a moment before asking him, "That's happened to you too?"

Kal ducked his head, "Sorta..."

"Kal."

Uh, oh. That _tone_  again. "Well," Kal began, "There's this kid and she's really nice but she's kind of funny...The guys don't like her because she is and some of them played some tricks on her and..."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing." Kal sagged against the sofa a bit more. "I didn't  _do_  anything until we were alone and all. Now she thinks I'm her friend."

"Well, let me tell you something." It was at that moment that Kal looked up at him and listened as he talked about his grandfather and what he told him about being strong for people that weren't necessarily strong by themselves.

Kal had taken this lesson to heart because the next day at school, he befriended that girl for  _real_  this time.

* * *

It was also when Kal was older did he try to emulate his Da. He wanted to help, he wanted to do the things that Da did so often. He wanted to make things better, too.

It wasn't entirely bad that he wanted to make a name for himself, though he doesn't have one yet. He's panted a bit because now he has to somehow explain to his Da why he was wandering around Metropolis at night and currently evading arrest because of a severe misunderstanding.

Yeah, Da's gonna be really mad at him, but Kal couldn't find it within himself to leave a friend to fend for themselves- even if it just got a bit too messy. What with the surprise that her brothers are drug dealers and not to mention her father had a trigger finger...- it was the least he could do.

But breathing out, Kal found he didn't feel bad about what he had done. Hopefully his friend will alibi him and he won't get pulled out of his class for this. Smiling to himself, Kal headed home to the apartment- it's bigger now than the last one since they moved- and pondered on a few things.

After all, Da's going to be gone for a few more days. He could fend for himself for a while longer. And in that time, he's certain he could make a name for himself and that way Da can't make him stop being a hero.

After all, when you're Superman's son, what else  _can_  you do?


	25. Friends

She's always surprised now with how much time Kal ended up spending at the Wayne Manor. They could only really blame their dads. It's really because of them that they get to know each other now.

Or rather that  _her_  dad, Batman, decided that Superman's  _son_  was an alright kid to hang out with. Of course, this started before Roy left and before then, she always felt a  _little_ bit put out because the boys would always play together.

Even though Kal tried to include her, it was obvious.

That's why she found it really startling when he still showed up every now and then at the Manor to hang out.

"Why are you here?" She had asked one particular afternoon while they hung out in the media room, "I mean, my brother's not here any more and.."

"So?" Kal pushed his glasses up pondering over the movie selection, "I'm as much  _your_  friend as I am his. Is there a rule somewhere that we can't be friends because I'm his friend?"

Artemis frowned but shook her head, "You two always hung out together."

He only flashed a smile, "I see, were you jealous?"

"What?  _No_!"

"There, there Artemis." He moved over to her and patted her shoulder, "No need to be-"

"I swear, you finish  _that_  and-"

"I thought bats had a sense of humor."

She snorted brushing his hand off and headed to the door, "We do. Let's do something else."

"Like?" Kal followed her somewhat amused, "Don't tell me-"

"Yup, we're going on patrol."

The click sound he made with his tongue made her smile slightly as she heard, "Bats, they just can't seem to stay out of the city."

"Damn right."


	26. Smile and Pretend

"Are you well, Little John?" Aqualass asked him in a brief team-up with Aquaman, Green Arrow and the Flash. "You look very pale."

"I'm fine, babe." He smirked at her, hiding his discomfort. "Just a bit chilly and all. Say, do want to get something afterwards?"

She tilted her head at that, "I suppose, if that is-"

"Guys, I hate to interrupt the love fest here." Velocity said to them, "But we've got other problems."

"Dude, that was  _not_  cool." Lil John hissed after Aqualass went to check if the coast was clear.

"Well, if  _someone_  would just fess up-"

"I told you  _why_!"

"It's a  _stupid_  reason!"

"Listen, you don't-"

It was at that time that Aqualass returned but hesitated to say anything for a moment, "There are no signs of anything suspicious."

"That's even more suspicious." Velocity said as he frowned a little at her, "We better find Flash and the others. They might need help."

"I concur." She nodded and jogged behind them. Though she wondered exactly what was wrong with Lil' John.

* * *

It was hard to pretend like this- at least for him. The Flash is right _there_  and he can't  _say_  anything. He remembered, quite _vividly_ , his uncle's laughter and his aunt's smile. Her cooking was to utterly _die_  for. Their home was always warm and inviting before everything that happened with his parents and-

He wanted to go and see them, just for a little while, but he knows better. He knows he can't open that door again. Not to mention, where he lived now wasn't that bad. It wasn't terrible. Ollie was actually a great 'dad' and Black Canary-Dinah- , she made a good 'mom'.

Not that _he'd_  ever say that out loud, but he loved living with them.

Which, just made the decision to not say anything both good and terrible at the same time. He recalled what Dick had told him- how they still try to find leads on their off-time.

Maybe- Maybe one day he'll be able to tell them.

It just so happened that it wouldn't be _today_.


	27. Haunted

She dreams quite a bit when they have to stay overnight on land. Somehow, it bothered her  _more_  to be on land than it did to live in the sea. M'gann doesn't know why this is but it haunted her every time they had to be there.

A strange and almost terrifying world, often invaded her dreams where she's not who she is. But- that never made any sense to her. She  _knows_  who she is. She is M'gann, a loyal friend and subject to the King of Atlantis. His protege on his adventures, and the person that he occasionally confided in.

This is who she is. Nothing more, nothing less.

Yet the dreams plagued her, and often she found no rest until she had go into the bathroom of wherever they were staying for the night, fill the tub up with cold water and fully submerge herself in it. It's only then, do the dreams seem to fade-as if the water could protect her from their nightmarish grasp.

These dreams do not get any better when she became acquainted with Martian Manhunter and his protege Con. It was more so that she saw Martian Manhunter did she feel the shiver go down her spine and the crazy impulse to be more friendly towards him.

This confused her greatly, and because of this confusion she became more standoffish and silent.

There was something in her dreams that told her he was dangerous to her- but  _why_  is it that she wanted to do nothing more then welcome him with open arms?


	28. Like flying

Dick was excited. He's excited because this is the first time they get to work on such a big case- or rather he and a few other proteges got to work together again. He  _loved_  this kind of thing. There's something about working with other people that always helped him. That made him feel better-

Less  _alone_.

He doesn't acknowledge this thought though as he raced through the streets and up a building again.  He doesn't want to admit that as much as he loved his new parents and the whole fighting crime and being the hero, thing- he's alone.   He doesn't have any siblings- not anymore- and there wasn't anyone in Central City that he could share this life with that could understand him.  Not- like, talk down to him that his Dad does on occasion. It can't be helped. 

But it's great to have others his own age range to talk to about things.  Like when he runs up the side of a building and just leaps across the gaps, savoring the moment he's in the air.   He could tell the others all about it and they'd understand. 

They'd know what it's like to feel like your flying in the air and it's so freeing- it's fun.

The small simple joys of their world, he had others now that noticed them and enjoyed them too.


	29. Apple Pie

In the end, Conner breaks and told Nereus who he really is. He couldn't help it any more. It had weighed on him longer than he felt it should and now..

Now that his explanation is done and he has told the leader of their team, he could only wait with something akin to fear inside at the other boy's pensive stare. Would he be  _hated_? Would Kal choose to  _not_  help him? What would-

"So, you're his clone?" The dark teen said tilting his head, "And Martian Manhunter's been keeping it a secret from Superman and everyone else all this time?"

"Well..." Conner rubs the back of his neck, "Not exactly. Batman knows-"

" _Of course_." There's that exasperation in his tone that Conner's now quite aware of when the obvious is stated. Thanks to Lil John- they often heard it quite a bit. "Batman knows everything, what was _I_  thinking?"

Still, this isn't exactly the reaction that Conner's hoping for or even expecting. It's really strange, to see Nereus-Kal- contemplate something this long. Normally, his judgement calls are done in a split second. He wonders if-

"Alright." his leader finally says, "Do you like apple pie?"

Blinking a bit, utterly confused at this point, he nods. "Yeah. Um, say about telling Superman-"

"I wouldn't." Kal turns slightly from him. There's no one else at the cave, which is actually why Conner chose this time to tell him, "Da's-Da won't take it  _too_  well. I can try to help but, if he's to be told,  _you_  better do it soon."

"Me?" Conner frowns at that, "I thought you-?"

"That I would tell him? No, I want you to have that chance-choice." Kal said, though it's his turn to rub the back of his neck, "Secrets-well people should be able to have the chance to reveal them themselves instead of others doing it. That's what I believe. I know this team-the people we work with- they  _all_  have their own secrets and issues. I just want everyone to have a chance." He smiles at him, "So, that's why you have to do it."

Conner's both elated that his leader _-brother?_ \- isn't afraid of him or even disgusted-he's not sure what to call it-and seems quite welcoming. But then again, what  _had_  he been expecting?

"About that apple pie?" Kal's saying, "Want to get some? It's hard to keep any at home. Da's like Dick- it disappears as soon as it  _hits_  the counter."

Conner smiles and he feels something of an ease in his chest- like it's lighter now.

Maybe revealing this to Kal was exactly what he needed to do.

  


 


End file.
